


From Jump City With Love

by NeversideFaerie



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: 1960s, Action/Adventure, Canon Compliant, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Implied/Referenced Torture, James Bond References, Parody, Past Relationship(s), Ratings: PG, Science Fiction, Secret Identity, Spies & Secret Agents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-07 00:31:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14659458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeversideFaerie/pseuds/NeversideFaerie
Summary: After it is discovered that Mad Mod is conducting another fiendish plan, the Teen Titans are sent on a top secret mission to figure out his next move. Unfortunately, they accidentally blow their cover and Mod uses his skills in holographic imagery to put a twist on their “spy” mission that really has his mark on it… Set season 3. Features cameos from various supervillains.





	1. Security Breach

**Author's Note:**

> Set during season 3, not long after the events of “Revolution” and “Wavelength”.

Chapter One:  
Security Breach  
“Cyborg? Do you read me?” said a frantic Robin into his com.  
“I sure do, Robbie. What’s the problem?” The message was being fed directly into Cyborg’s part-robotic brain.  
“I can’t get through to the others! Something’s messing up their signals!”  
Supposing he was going to have to fix whatever was jamming the com system, Cyborg strode over to the entrance of his room, but for some reason it wouldn’t open. “Something’s jammin’ my doors!”  
“I’m trapped in the living room. I would say whatever’s blocking the com must be affecting the doors, but that’s crazy! I’ll bet someone’s doing this deliberately.”  
“No doubt about it! Now all we need to work out is which one of our enemies would want to do something like this…that could take a while…”  
Robin turned to see a transmission spring onto the giant television screen. At first it was mostly static, but then Robin started to make out a familiar face. “Or maybe not…” He put away his com.  
“Prepare to meet your doom!” said the figure upon the screen, who had long auburn hair, bushy sideburns and was wearing a dark grey coat with broad metal shoulders, holding up a weapon-like remote control, “Now that I’ve hacked into your systems, you will be trapped in your stupid tower FOREVER! Don’t even bother trying to call for help – I’ve scrambled your com. Before long, you’ll start to run out of air. In a vacuum, no-one can hear you scream…”  
“This has to be your most cowardly plan yet, Control Freak,” responded Robin.  
“My plan’s not cowardly – it’s INGENIOUS!” Control Freak’s eyebrows arched menacingly. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of such an easy way to get rid of you losers before. Admit it – I truly am your greatest enemy!” He threw back his head and laughed maniacally.  
Robin only raised an eyebrow at this hammy display. “I wouldn’t count your chickens just yet. Your remote control may be able to hack into our systems, but a machine is no match for one of the most skilled hackers in Jump City…”  
He whipped out a keyboard and began tapping at a rapid pace. After about a minute, he took out his communicator. “Cyborg! Try the doors now.”  
“They’re working again!” replied Cyborg, as he raced through them.  
Robin inserted a wire into his communicator and his fingers flew across the keyboard some more. After ten seconds, he picked up his com and said, “Starfire? Do you read me?”  
“Robin! Thank the goodness the com is working again!”  
“Not for much longer…” said Control Freak, raising his deadly remote.  
No sooner had he done so did Starfire’s chirpy soprano voice become replaced with a deep, monotonous one. “What was blocking the channel of communication?” There was then the sound of heavy breathing.  
If Control Freak had tried that trick earlier, I would have realised it was his doing immediately! thought Robin.  
“Control Freak has hacked into our systems,” he responded.  
“Robin…why is it that you are talking like the duck named Donald?”  
When I get my hands on Control Freak, he’s going to wish he was never born, thought Robin, placing the wire into his communicator and punching the keys once again, more furiously than ever.  
Cyborg came charging through the doors at just that moment. “Control Freak?” he cried, catching sight of the face on the television, “Oh man! I shoulda known.”  
“Cyborg, I need your help here!” called Robin, still tapping at a remarkable pace.   
“I’m on it, Robbie!” Cyborg picked up another keyboard and began typing at an equally high-speed rate.  
Control Freak wasn’t fazed. “You can type all you want, but you’ll never outwit me! My remote control has more tricks than your puny minds can imagine – HEY!”  
Suddenly, the screen went blank. Robin smirked. “That’s the last we’ll hear from him!”  
He picked up his communicator. “Raven, can you hear me?”  
“Not so fast, loser! You didn’t think you could get rid of me, did you?” responded a voice that definitely didn’t belong to Raven.  
“WHAT?! How did you-” Robin then realised he didn’t need to ask.  
“Tough luck, Robin! No-one can defeat CONTROL FREAK and my remote control of doom!”  
“I’ve had enough of this.” Robin threw down his communicator and began tapping his keyboard once more. “I’m going to put that gloating geek back in prison if it’s the last thing I do!”  
On the screen appeared a map of Jump City with a flashing dot in the middle. Robin tried to hone in on where the signal from his communicator was coming from, but as a result of his concentration, he wasn’t paying any attention to what Cyborg was doing.  
The half-robot had inserted a wire into his circuitry and connected it to the game dock, typing as furiously as Robin. “Boo-yah!” he cried all of a sudden.  
The dot on the map vanished before Robin even had a chance to see where Control Freak was located.  
“Cyborg?! What did you do?”  
“I only kicked his butt! I figured if I could block the signal from that remote control, that crazy coach-potato would have to go back to the drawing board. He can’t make our systems go berserk if he can’t access them!”  
Cyborg was expecting Robin to say something along the lines of, “Cyborg, you’re a genius!” (which probably would have been a more than accurate description, considering how they could possibly use the same method to prevent any further crimes by the infamous fanboy) so it was a real shock when Robin’s reaction was the exact opposite.  
“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?” the boy wonder practically erupted, “I was about to locate Control Freak!”  
“Relax, Robbie! He can’t hurt us now.”  
“He can’t hurt us. What if he uses his remote to go on a crime spree or interferes with the radio signals of everyone in Jump City? I can’t believe you’d do something so selfish.”  
“I was just trying to protect our systems from being hacked into by that crazy dude! He could have gotten into our files using that remote of his. I wasn’t the one who was too selfish to consider the possibility of our private data getting into enemy hands!”  
The pair turned into fuming chibis in a headlock, veins bursting, when Starfire wandered through the door at the other end of the room.  
“It is most reassuring that our technology is working again!” she said thankfully, before a puzzled expression came upon her face, “Friends Robin and Cyborg? Why are you in a state of anger? Surely the problem has now been fixed.”  
Her team-mates’ heads grew bigger and sharp-toothed snarls came upon their faces, accompanied by alarming growls. Starfire’s eyes went blank and a massive sweat drop appeared on her forehead.   
Without warning, there was a strange noise from one of the orange-patterned walls. Everyone turned their heads to see what on Earth was going on, when one of the panels popped right off to reveal a green mouse, which promptly turned into none other than Beast Boy. “Uh, sorry I had to go through the tunnels, guys. The door to my room was stuck!” He saw that Cyborg’s circuits were still connected to a keyboard strewn on the floor, which was next to another keyboard as well as a communicator. “Er, what happened while I was gone?”  
It was at that moment Raven drifted through the door on the right side of the plasma screen (from where Starfire was standing). “Something was up with the doors and the com system,” she stated, catching sight of what the boys had left in front of the television, “But I figure it has been fixed now.”  
“All thanks to Cyborg,” said Robin venomously, looking daggers at his team-mate.   
“Hey, what you looking at me like that for? I wasn’t the one who was so concerned with catching Control Freak he nearly let him hack our data files! I saved our butts, man!”  
“You weren’t supposed to make the decision for me! I am the leader of this team, if you haven’t forgotten.”  
“So, it is the Control Freak who was to blame for our problems?” interrupted Starfire, but the boys weren’t listening.   
“Well, maybe I should join another team!” continued Cyborg.  
“What other team is there to join?”  
“Maybe I’ll make my own team!”  
“Good luck with that. We happen to be the only superheroes in Jump City, unless you’re thinking of siding with the bad guys. We hardly know anything about your experiences at the HIVE academy…”  
Cyborg was so stunned he didn’t even answer. Robin had really done it now. The Teen Titans, who had stood in horror for the last minute watching the argument unfold, were just thinking that Cyborg was about to blow a fuse (probably literally) when mercifully the map on the screen abruptly disappeared, being replaced by a transmission from a man in uniform. It was the Jump City police commissioner, who bore a stern expression.  
“Titans! This is an urgent message.”  
Robin swivelled to face him, abandoning the quarrel. “We hear you, loud and clear.”  
“What you are about to hear is classified. Today, various TV broadcasters across the globe have spotted an anomaly in their signals – almost as if someone was trying to hijack them at the same time.”  
Robin briefly turned to Cyborg. “Now do you see what you’ve done?”  
The commissioner looked confused for a second before continuing. “Their authorities were at a loss to unmask whoever tried to hijack the signals, but there is one link between the countries we have discovered that is too significant to be ignored. All of them once belonged to the British Empire.”  
A small map of the world appeared in a corner of the screen, with the countries whose signals had been hijacked coloured pink. This included India, Egypt, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and many other smaller territories he could not identify.  
It was now Robin’s turn to look bewildered. “But…why would Control Freak try to specifically target countries with that tie?” Another question on Robin’s mind was whether or not his remote was even powerful enough to do something like that.  
“This is not Control Freak’s doing. The reason the Jump City police force was alerted of this phenomenon was because it suspiciously fit the motif of a particular supervillain residing in the city. You will remember that you thwarted him recently when he attempted to control the population via hypnotism – a move which we fear he was trying to repeat by hijacking television signals of countries he would want to gain domination over.”  
“Mad Mod,” hissed Robin, his eyes narrowing.  
“If this criminal is not stopped, he could re-attempt to hijack the signals, resulting in mass hypnotism across the world. There are rumours that he has been spotted in certain areas of Jump City…”  
The chart of the world turned into a more localised map, with a translucent pink blob over where Mod had been sighted.  
“No-one in Jump City knows this supervillain better than your team. We need you to go on a mission to locate Mad Mod and turn him over to us before he is able to accomplish his plans.”  
“Mission accepted,” responded Robin, turning to face his team-mates, “The only way we’re going to search that area in time is by splitting up. Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, you need to search the top three roads. Starfire and I will take the bottom two.” He pointed to the exit. “Titans, GO!”  
With that, Robin raced out of the door, followed closely by Cyborg, Beast Boy (in greyhound form – or rather “green”-hound form), Starfire (in mid-air) and Raven.   
“Do you suppose Robin has now forgotten about the raising of voices he had with Cyborg?” Starfire asked Raven on the way out.  
“I doubt that very much,” replied the young half-demon.  
Starfire’s face fell. “Then I fear this mission will be filled with the bitings of the back and the falling out of friends Robin and Cyborg.”  
“Probably. At this rate, it will be a miracle if we even manage to find Mad Mod…”


	2. The Kids From T.E.E.N. T.I.T.A.N.S.

Chapter Two:  
The Kids From T.E.E.N. T.I.T.A.N.S.  
Cyborg tossed over yet another rubbish bin looking for any sign of Mod’s hideout and Beast Boy (now disguised as a bloodhound) gave the ground a sniff. He then turned back into his regular form and shook his head.  
“This is crazy, man!” spat Cyborg, “We’re never gonna find that British guy.”   
Robin appeared on his com. “Any luck?”  
“There’s no sign of Mad Mod anywhere! I’m beginnin’ to think those rumours were just rumours.”  
“We can’t be sure of that until we’ve searched everywhere.”  
“Mad Mod has advanced holographic technology,” interjected Raven, “It is possible he could be using it to hide his location.”  
“Raven could be right,” agreed Robin, “We need to think outside of the box if we’re to find Mad Mod.”  
“If Mod’s so good with holograms, then why did he get spotted? This rumour is startin’ to look as fishy as Aqualad’s wetsuit!”  
“I don’t know. We won’t find out until we’ve finished looking.”  
“I’ve had enough of this wild goose chase. I said earlier I might quit the team. Maybe that time is now!”  
“Don’t even go there, Cyborg. The future of half the planet could be at stake unless we all play our part. You are going to stick with this team and follow my orders until Mad Mod is caught and imprisoned and only once this mission is completed can you even think about going your own way. Is that clear?”  
Cyborg went red with rage and was about to give an explosive reply when Beast Boy put a calming hand on his shoulder. “Chill out, dude! You’re getting real overblown about this whole business.”  
Raven spoke up. “I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but Beast Boy’s right. You can’t let the argument you had with Robin earlier get in the way of our mission. The most important thing now is that we put a stop to Mad Mod’s plan-”  
All of a sudden, she became aware that in the corner of her eye, something had moved. The heads of all three teens swivelled, catching sight of a figure lurking in the shadows of the alleyway.   
“Who’s there?” called Beast Boy uneasily.  
“Guys? Is there something wrong…?” came Robin’s voice through the communicator.  
The figure stepped forward into the light, cane first, revealing himself to be a tall skinny man with a red mop top wearing a pair of blue-tinted glasses and a smart black Beatles-style suit – none other than the infamous Mad Mod.  
“’Allo my duckies!” Mod flashed his signature crooked smile. “Fancy seeing you lot ‘ere! If I didn’t know better, I would think you were tryin’ to spy on me.” His face turned sinister. “And I know what I’d do to you snotty brats if that were the case. I’d ‘ang you lot over a pool of sharks, like the villains in them spy movies do.” A look of enlightenment came across his face. “Wait a blimmin’ minute! Didn’t I ‘ear you say somethin’ about puttin’ a stop to me latest plan? I ‘ave a feeling you lot really are tryin’ to spy on me and you know what I do to them kids ‘oo spy on ol’ Mad Mod…” He drew closer to them, raising his cane, looking more threatening than ever before.  
The Titans shrunk to the size of cowering chibis as Mod’s looming shadow engulfed them.  
…  
Meanwhile in another alleyway, the screen on Robin’s communicator turned to static.  
“Cyborg, do you read me! Come in! Cyborg?” He turned to Starfire. “We’ve lost them!”  
“Robin, do you think that was really the Mad Mod?” asked Starfire concernedly.  
“It sure was Mad Mod, all right!” Robin looked away. “Cyborg has really overstepped the line now. His preoccupation with questioning my leadership has put our team at risk and now he’s blown our cover on a CRITICAL ASSIGNMENT! When and if I find him again, he’s going to kiss goodbye to-”  
“Robin, you do realise that you have been causing the arguing too?”   
Robin froze. His eyes went blank and his mouth turned into a jagged squiggle.  
“I do not like it when you and friend Cyborg have the fighting. You always blame each other for starting it. I wish you would settle this over the shaking of the hands.”   
Robin was truly gobsmacked. He tried to reply, but couldn’t think of anything to say. If anyone else had said something along the same lines to him, he might have been offended, but Starfire was different. She knew him more intimately than any other of the Titans and when she told him what he was doing was wrong, he knew that he had to take her advice to heart. He’d seen her suffer so many times as a result of the struggles he’d been through. He couldn’t let his own personal choices be the cause of any more pain on her part…  
“’Allo my duckies!” said a voice all of a sudden. Robin and Starfire turned to see a television screen had inexplicably appeared in a nearby wall, bearing a face they dreaded the sight of, “Your mission – should you choose to accept it – is to rescue your friends from certain death fallin’ into a pool of man-eatin’ sharks. Of course, you could always try to foil me latest plan to ‘ijack the airwaves instead, but you can’t do both! Either you find me evil lair and put a stop to me plan to restore the British Empire to its rightful state with me as King Moddie (a fitting follow-up to me disastrous attempt to turn Jump City into jolly ol’ England, eh?) or you can save your friends from me shark tank. You’ll ‘ave to make your decision quickly though, ‘cos in two hours it’s feedin’ time!”  
Robin’s brow arched. “You have a twisted mind, Mad Mod, but you can be sure of one thing: I will do whatever it takes to–”  
“This message will self-destruct in five seconds,” continued Mod. A clock starting ticking loudly.  
“GET DOWN!” shrieked Robin, grabbing Starfire and leaping out of the way. The pair belly-flopped onto the ground, and clapped their hands over the backs of their heads.  
Behind them, the ticking came to an end and there was a loud “BOOM!” Robin and Starfire could feel the heat of the explosion riding over their heads. The scent of smoke still hung thickly in the air as they un-peeled themselves from the ground. Robin coughed as he tried to orientate himself.  
“Robin?” asked Starfire, “Why are we wearing the formal dress?”  
It was that moment Robin noticed her unexpected change of outfit. “What?”   
“Is this the doing of the Mad Mod?” Starfire eyed her hands, which were encased in long white gloves. As she stood up, it became apparent she was also wearing a floor-length magenta gown, which looked identical to the one she had worn to Kitten’s prom not that long ago.   
Robin realised he was also no longer wearing his regular outfit, but a smart tuxedo with a bow tie, waistcoat and thick waistband. “This is just typical of Mod.” He got to his feet. “I’ll bet these outfits are holograms and so is the shark pool, unless they’re trapped in the aquarium, which is very unlikely. Using holograms makes crime all too convenient for Mad Mod…” He then became aware that the sky was considerably darker than it had been a minute ago. “Wait a minute! What’s he done to the sky?”  
For some reason, it was now night-time, or at least appeared to be so.   
“This is most confusing,” said Starfire, “Why has Mad Mod changed our clothes and given us the sky of darkness?”  
“Mod is trying to turn our ‘spy’ mission into the kind you’d get in the movies. In his sick mentality, this is his way of giving us poetic justice for interfering with his plans.”  
“I remember hearing the Mod say that villains in such spy films hang their victims over the pools of sharks. Even if the pool really is a hologram, I would imagine it would still be able to harm our friends, from what I recall about our previous encounters with him. I am most worried that if we try to stop the Mod from restoring the Empire of the British, then friends Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy will be hurt by the holographic sharks.”   
“Then we’re going to have to get to them first. They can’t be far from us – Mad Mod only captured them a few minutes ago. He must have hidden them somewhere in this area.”  
“But what will we do about Mod’s Empire of the British?”  
Robin’s brow furrowed. He didn’t want to let the Jump City police department down, yet at the same time, his loyalty was to his team-mates. He could imagine Mad Mod’s leering face mocking his impossible predicament – it was just what he wanted, for the leader of his enemies to be stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.   
At the same time, Robin didn’t feel defeated. In his mind, he began to form a possible idea that could outwit the sneering supervillain. Could it really work…?   
“I have a plan,” he announced.  
…  
Meanwhile, Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy were in a room with glowing white walls, tied together and suspended over a swimming pool full of vicious-looking sharks. Cyborg was trying to break free, but he couldn’t burst their bands.  
“Guys, I think something’s up with my circuits. I can’t get us outta this thing!”  
“And if we fall into the shark tank, they’re absolutely not going to eat us,” said Raven sarcastically. One of the sharks jumped upward, attempting to snack on her feet, which she pulled out of the way just in time.  
“How come my powers aren’t working either?” asked Beast Boy, “I just tried to turn into a whale, but nothing happened.”  
“Nice choice of animal, Beast Boy. We definitely need to be squashed as well.”  
“Sharks won’t eat something bigger than them!” He then found himself questioning the validity of that statement. “OK, they won’t eat anything much bigger than them…”  
It was then a screen appeared on one of the walls, upon which was a face they knew all too well. “’Allo my duckies! I see you lot are a bit tied up at the moment.”  
“And whose fault is that?” responded Raven.  
Mad Mod just laughed. “I’m thinkin’ by now you’ll ‘ave noticed something very special about this ‘ere room. You won’t be using none of them fancy powers of yours while you’re in ‘ere.”  
“Dude, that is some seriously neat tech!” said Beast Boy. He struggled in his bands. “…and it’s a big bummer to us, ‘cos we can’t escape!”  
“You most certainly can’t, my duckies. Your ol’ friends are on your trail, but I’m afraid they’re going to ‘ave a few nasty surprises when they attempt to rescue you. I’ll ‘ave to be going now – I’ve got a transmission to prepare! I can’t keep me new subjects waiting.”  
“You won’t get away with this, Mad Mod!” said Cyborg.  
“That’s King Moddie to you! Robin may try to save you lot from ‘ere, but there’s nothing ‘e can do to stop me restoring the British Empire…”


	3. Arcade Royale

Chapter Three:  
Arcade Royale  
Back in the alleyway, Robin abruptly realised that since his change of outfit his pockets had been fairly heavy. What was in them? He reached inside one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a miniature camera, a pair of glasses and a small vial of rather unpleasant-looking liquid.   
“Wait…are these spy gadgets?” Mad Mod really had gone all out with this ‘spy adventure’!   
Robin fished through his other pockets and found all sorts of devices he knew he might be able to put to good use. They seemed to contain even more equipment than he could fit into his utility belt! “There’s got to be something here we can use to find Cyborg.”  
Starfire pinched the sides off her dress, but couldn’t find any holes. “How come I do not have the pockets too?”  
Robin looked confused. “I’m not really sure…”  
One of the gizmos started beeping and Robin pulled it out of his pocket.  
“What is it, Robin?” asked Starfire.  
“I think it’s some kind of tracking device,” answered Robin, looking at the screen of the small machine, “And it’s locked onto the co-ordinates of something.”  
“Do you suppose it is our friends?!”  
Robin looked sceptical and took out his communicator. “I’ll see if I can locate Cyborg.” He pressed the screen and keyed in some commands. “Hang on! It’s saying he’s in the same location this device is reading.”  
“Then we must leave at once!” Starfire floated off the ground and started tugging at his arm. “Come, friend Robin! We must save our friends from the pool of sharks.”  
“I’m not sure about this. It seems all too easy. We’d better be on guard for any of Mod’s usual tricks – there’s bound to be an unexpected twist in this spy adventure.”  
“Is that what happens in the films of the spies?”  
“You don’t know the half of it.” Robin smiled at her naivety.   
…  
On the televisions of the Teen Titans’ viewers, the picture turned black. Two white dots started moving across the screen, from left to right, eventually meeting. Meanwhile, big band jazz started playing in the background. The dot then turned into the tip of a gun, viewed from inside the barrel. Inside the circle appeared a figure with spiky black hair, a cat eye domino mask and a smart tuxedo, holding a firearm. He aimed in the direction of the viewers and fired. The picture turned blood red and then faded away to reveal a title card – “Robin and Starfire in…From Jump City With Love”.  
Another circle appeared, this time revealing a wall. It grew bigger, quickly taking up the whole screen. The scene was outside a building not far from the alleyway, positioned on the Jump City pier. Robin was stood beside Starfire, aiming a gun.  
“Robin? What are you doing?” enquired Starfire.  
“I have no idea, actually…” Robin eyed his weapon and cast it onto the ground. “This is the only gadget I won’t be using – it’s against what Batman taught me.” He held up his communicator. “The signal led us here for some reason.” They turned to the building’s entrance, through which they could see flashing lights from the consoles inside.   
“The arcade of amusements?” said Starfire, rather taken aback.  
There was no mistaking the popular hangout, which boasted large neon signs saying “amusements” and “slots”, contrasting sharply with the night sky. The Titans had spent many happy evenings inside the establishment, playing “Boogie Revolution” and “Jump Shot” until they were tired out.   
“Where would Mod hide a shark tank in an amusement arcade?” wondered Robin aloud. He slipped away his com. “I guess there’s only one way to find out…”  
He and Starfire marched through the entrance, into a darkened room filled with retro game sounds, pulsating music and enticing lights. All around them milled teenagers, playing games and mingling, but there was something rather striking about their appearance. Instead of wearing grungy t-shirts and jeans, all of them were clad in tuxedos and evening gowns, just like Robin and Starfire.  
“This has to be Mad Mod’s doing,” observed Robin, “We need to keep our eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. It could be a clue as to where our friends are being held.”  
“Do not worry, friend Robin. I will ensure to do the peeling of the eyes.”  
Both of them scoured the area, paying special attention to anywhere a shark tank could be potentially concealed.   
“Well, if it isn’t old Bird Brain and his stupid bimbo girlfriend!” said a familiar pre-pubescent male voice all of a sudden.   
Robin and Starfire turned to see the last person they wanted to be in the arcade – the infamous pint-sized supervillain and former HIVE pupil Gizmo, who was sporting a white shirt, black waistcoat, bow tie and slacks, instead of his usual green one piece suit. He was still wearing his goggles on his forehead, as well as his jet pack, which he looked ready to use at any moment.  
“Gizmo? What are you doing here?”  
“What do you think, scum-breath? I’m here to beat the high score on all the arcade games, like I always do. I bet you couldn’t stand a chance against me if I challenged you to a games match.”  
“Want to bet?” Robin drew nearer, looking confident.   
“I’ll bet he can take you down,” said Mammoth, emerging on Gizmo’s left, arms crossed, wearing a tuxedo akin to Robin’s.   
“Face it Robin – you won’t stand a chance against his high scores,” Jinx added, appearing on Gizmo’s other side. She was wearing an indigo off-the-shoulder gown with a ragged-looking skirt, as well as long purple fingerless gloves, a choker and knee-high stockings alongside her usual platform shoes. Her magenta hair also seemed a lot neater, with her pigtails dipping inwards to form a crescent, instead of a more abstract shape. It came as no surprise that Gizmo had his two best friends with him, just like when they committed crimes.   
“Challenge accepted.” Robin narrowed his eyes.  
“Friend Robin? Are you certain this is a wise idea?” Starfire whispered to him. “Our friends are above the pool of sharks this very minute!”  
“Trust me, Starfire,” Robin whispered back, “I have an idea.”  
Gizmo cracked his knuckles. “You’re on, Bird Brain. Just don’t complain when I wipe the floor with you!”  
“And if I win, will you do a favour for me?”  
“Sure thing! I’m gonna kick your sorry butt, so what do I care?”  
“We’ll see about that…”  
The first game Robin and Gizmo got stuck into was a round of table hockey. Robin putted the puck back and forth with unmatched skill. Gizmo grew increasingly more frustrated as his rival continually scored goals. This couldn’t be happening! He was the champion of the arcade.   
The more Robin triumphed over him, the more determined Gizmo became to wipe that smile from his face. There was no way he was going to let one of his enemies make him the laughing stock of the youth scene. He was going to have to up his game and if that involved cheating, then what did he care? That was how he’d got those high scores in the first place!  
Next, it was onto the pinball machine. Gizmo tried to jog the stand whilst Robin and Starfire weren’t looking, but even on the few occasions he succeeded, somehow Robin just kept getting near unbeatable scores. (“You are truly the wizard at pinball, friend Robin!” commented Starfire.) When it came to his own turn, he barely managed to get the same total.  
“Boogie Revolution” was their next stop. Robin went first again and wowed the other arcade-goers with his funky moves to “Move Your Feet” by Junior Senior. By now, quite a crowd was forming around the two contesters, making Gizmo feel even more humiliated. Not only was he losing to old Bird Brain, he was doing so in front of kids who knew his reputation!  
When it came to his turn, Gizmo secretly pressed a button on his jet pack, which extended some wires underneath his outfit that would enhance his dancing abilities. Robin was going to be the one who was sorry after he’d seen what his tech could make him do!  
Gizmo looked smug as he readied himself for the dance off, “Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai starting on the stereo. As soon as the first verse began, he sprang into action, his body moving smoothly enough to rival John Travolta! Jinx and Mammoth began clapping him on and the growing audience followed suite. Gizmo jived his way perfectly through the entire song and was immensely pleased when he discovered his score on the game was even higher than that of Robin’s.  
“Loser!” he taunted as they moved onto the next activity, placing a thumb on his nose and waggling his fingers.  
This wasn’t quite the word that came to mind when Robin aced several hoops in “Jump Shot”, despite Gizmo still having the robotic enhancements under his clothes. It became clear Robin’s agility wasn’t the only thing he was up against – the boy wonder had eagle eyes unrivalled by anyone in Jump City! Gizmo was furious when he lost the basketball simulator match as well and vowed he wasn’t going to let Robin beat him another time. After losing three games to one of the Titans, his street cred was seriously under threat!  
As Robin moved onto an arcade version of “Stonehenge Avenger”, Gizmo sneakily inserted a jack into the base. Only Jinx saw what he was doing and exchanged a knowing smile. Gizmo went first and made his avatar kick up a storm, quickly progressing through the game’s levels. His audience “oohed” and “aahed” as he knocked down entire armies of goblins onscreen, but the culmination of his pride came when there was a massive gasp at the sight of his new high score – it was greater than anything ever before achieved in the arcade!  
“Beat that, Bird Brain!” he sneered as Robin replaced him at the console.  
Starfire watched anxiously as her sweetheart began the game. She knew he was good at this particular game, but could he top Gizmo’s practically unbeatable high score? Robin jumped straight into the virtual battle, but as he moved up the levels he began to visibly sweat with concentration. If he won this game, Gizmo would have to admit he was well and truly defeated.  
There was a tense silence as Robin continued through the game, kicking goblins and casting spells with perfect timing. Gizmo, Mammoth and Jinx’s eyes were glued to the screen, unable to believe that Robin’s skill matched – and sometimes surpassed – Gizmo’s own! (Or at least Gizmo’s apparent skill…) The crowning moment came when Robin completed the very last level. Half the arcade-goers watched in anticipation as Robin’s score loaded. Had he managed to give the obnoxious tween prodigy the taste of his own medicine they’d always longed to serve him?  
Upon the screen finally appeared Robin’s score – and there was a tremendous cheer as everyone saw it was even higher than Gizmo’s! Starfire squealed with joy and nearly pulled the boy wonder off his feet with an excited embrace, whilst several hands patted him on the back.  
“Rashin’ frashin’ sassin’ frassin’…” cursed Gizmo under his breath, as Jinx and Mammoth stared blankly at the arcade’s new champion.   
Robin walked away from the console, surrounded by a crowd of applauding teenagers.  
“This can’t be happening! My score was unbeatable!” lamented Gizmo.  
Mammoth growled and clenched his fists. “When I get my hands on Robin, I’m going to knock him into the middle of the hockey table!”  
Jinx, however, was giving the “Stonehenge Avenger” console a suspicious look. “Gizmo? Why is your jack still in the base?”  
The young genius just about died on the spot! So that was how his enemy had bested his score – he’d unwittingly had assistance from one of his own sneaky gadgets. Gizmo really had been beaten at his own game!   
“Rashin’ frashin’ sassin’ frassin’…!” he started cursing again, this time at his own stupidity.  
“Remember that deal you made with Robin…” Jinx reminded him, causing him to start muttering even more.  
Robin tried to shrug off the crowd of admirers as he wandered into the bar area. He didn’t actually remember there being a bar the last time he went to the arcade, but judging from the retro appearance of the establishment he thought it might have been created by Mad Mod’s holographic imagery. He and Starfire went up to the counter and seated themselves.   
The barman was wearing a white shirt, black waistcoat and bowtie. “What can I get you, champion?” he asked Robin.  
Robin gave a wry smile. “I’ll have a Shirley Temple – shaken, not stirred.”  
“Coming right up! And as for you, doll-face…?”  
Starfire blushed for a moment at being called such a flattering name. “I will have…the Temple of the Shirley as well!”  
“As you wish!” The barman winked and turned to get their drinks.  
The Titans relaxed for a moment before all of a sudden Robin was grabbed roughly by the shirt.  
“I should throw you off the side of the pier!” spat Mammoth, his eyes filled with hatred.  
“Thanks to you, I’m the laughing stock of the arcade!” said Gizmo, hovering close to Robin’s face.  
“Cut it out, guys,” said Jinx, “He won, end of story. Quit being so immature.”  
Mammoth reluctantly let go of Robin’s shirt and the boy wonder settled himself back onto his stool.   
“So, Gizmo, I hear you owe me a favour…” he said smoothly.  
Gizmo closed his eyes tightly, his hands in fists. “Just get it over with!”  
Robin slid a piece of paper out from underneath his jacket and took a pen from his pocket. “I need you to help me find the other Titans.” He drew out a rough sketch. “Mad Mod has kidnapped them and my scanners are saying they’re somewhere below this arcade…” His drawing depicted the arcade, situated atop the Jump City pier. “…but the only thing beneath us is water.” He pointed to underneath the ocean floor. “Do you know of any secret tunnels under the seabed leading to somewhere Mod could be using? I’m sure you’ve had a few lessons on the subject at the HIVE academy…”  
The three young supervillains scrutinised the diagram.   
“I think there’s an abandoned base directly below the pier,” said Jinx, “We used to go there for underwater training in the academy. Gizmo always managed to spring a leak in his diving suit when we there.”  
“Did not!” retorted Gizmo.  
“Did too!”  
“Well, you were such a cry-baby when Brother Blood got us to dive for bricks! All because of your stupid boyfriend getting-”  
Jinx’s eyes glowed lilac with anger. “Don’t you dare mention that incident,” she hissed, her fists clenched.  
“Cry-baby, cry-baby, cry-baby!” Gizmo taunted.  
“SHUT UP!” Jinx erupted, turning into a raging demon surrounded by clouds of violet smoke.   
Gizmo fell back in surprise. Everyone in the bar went silent, including the poor bartender, who was just about to give Robin and Starfire their cocktails.   
“Enough!” cried Starfire, rising to her full height. “I will not have any of the fighting and arguing. Our friends are in danger and we need to rescue them as soon as possible.”  
Jinx shrank back to her normal appearance, her eyes closed solemnly.   
“Your order?” said the barman.  
“Oh, thank you,” responded Robin, taking his drink.  
“Do you know how we can get inside this base of abandonment?” asked Starfire, picking up the other Shirley Temple and taking a sip.  
“The best way I can think of is by unlocking the hatch under the pier,” responded Jinx, opening her eyes, “You need a key to get through it though.”  
“No problem,” said Robin, slipping a skeleton key out of his pocket.  
Jinx raised an eyebrow, looking a little perkier. “And the hatch is underwater.”   
Robin rummaged in his pocket and took out a rebreather. “Anything else I should know?”  
“You’ve only got one rebreather.” She pointed to the apparatus.  
“I can hold my breath for extensive periods of time – there is no need to be concerned,” explained Starfire, before taking another sip. “This drink is most delicious! What is in the recipe?”  
“I’m not sure,” said Robin, taking his first taste, before breaking into a coughing fit. “Oh boy, that is really sweet,” he wheezed.  
He gazed on in horror as Starfire swigged down the rest of her beverage. “Mmmmm, what a refreshing flavour! I would like to have one again sometime.”  
“You can have the rest of mine.” Robin offered her his glass.  
Starfire took it gratefully and immediately downed a large mouthful. Robin looked a little bit queasy.  
…  
A few minutes later, the group were situated on the end of the pier, the sounds of kids screaming and laughing on the funfair rides in the background. Robin and Starfire looked over the barrier into the calm, dark waters.   
“The hatch is directly under the arcade,” said Jinx. “You might need to fish through the mud though – Brother Blood liked to have it out of sight.”  
Robin held up his communicator, which still had a lock on Cyborg’s location. “Gotcha.”   
With the aid of a waterproof flashlight, hopefully finding the hatch wouldn’t be too difficult, but he was very conscious that time was scarce after how long he’d spent in the arcade. Challenging Gizmo had been a big risk, but he’d needed to divulge the information about where his friends were being held from the former HIVE pupils.  
“We need to act quickly once we’re under the waves,” Robin instructed Starfire, removing his shoe, “We’ve got less than fifteen minutes before Mad Mod sends that transmission.”  
Starfire tried to take off one of her heels, but found it had unexpectedly morphed into a very strange shape. “Robin? Why do my shoes look like the fins of fish?”  
Robin’s footwear had also gone through the same transformation. “We’re wearing flippers?!” Not only had his shoes changed, but his tuxedo had been replaced by a sleek black wetsuit, his utility belt having reappeared around his waist. “It must be Mad Mod’s doing…and for once he’s actually helping us.” Robin was glad he wasn’t going to jump into the freezing water wearing his suit!  
“This peculiar type of footwear is called flippers? Like the flippers of penguins?” Starfire giggled. She too was wearing a wetsuit, hers the same magenta as her gown.  
“Where are you from?” gibed Gizmo, “Outer space?”  
Robin took a torch and the rebreather out of his belt, which was still packed with spy gadgets. “We need to get going immediately,” he reminded everyone, “Thanks for your help. We owe you one.”  
He and Starfire sat on the barrier. Robin inserted the rebreather into his mouth and he and Starfire dived backward into the water.  
Once the Titans were out of sight, Mammoth and Gizmo turned to look at Jinx, eying her very bewilderedly.   
“What did you do that for?” probed Gizmo.  
“Do what?” Jinx responded smugly.  
“Why did you help the enemy?” asked Mammoth.  
“Yeah! Is there something you’re not telling us…?” Gizmo smirked.  
“I simply told Robin how to get into the base,” justified Jinx. “I didn’t tell him about the security devices on the way in.” Cruel grins crept upon Gizmo and Mammoth’s faces. “Maybe this will finally be the last we see of the Teen Titans…”


	4. The Secret Lair

Chapter Four:  
The Secret Lair  
Robin and Starfire swam through the darkened water underneath the pier, aided only by the light of the torch. Robin could hear nothing but the movement of the water and the sound of his own breathing as he glided to the bottom of the depths, keeping an eye out for anywhere the hatch could be concealed and also on his communicator. Cyborg’s signal was stronger than ever down here.  
He and Starfire began digging through the mud that had accumulated on the seabed, feeling for the hatch.   
We’re down to ten minutes now, realised Robin as he frantically clawed through the gunk, trying not to think about what might be in it. How well buried was the trapdoor, anyway? He’d envisioned Brother Blood just chucking a bit of sludge on it, but had he been more thorough? How long was it going to take for them to find the base’s entrance…?  
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Starfire. Unable to speak, she gestured to a patch of mud, underneath which he could make out the faint outline of a panel. Immediately, he and Starfire started scraping the remaining filth from the trapdoor. Robin pulled the skeleton key out of his utility belt and inserted it into the lock, which was so filled with muck he had to scoop out the blockage before the key fit inside.  
After a bit of fiddling, finally the hatch sprang open and the two Titans slipped through. Once inside, Robin closed the hatch and used his torch to see where they were. They appeared to be inside a tunnel leading downwards, filled with murky sea water. Robin figured there must be a way out of it and directed Starfire to follow him.   
They swam down several metres before coming into a horizontal channel. Whilst travelling through this new tunnel, Robin began to hear something odd. Though the passageway had many watery echoes, Robin couldn’t help but wonder if there was a door or something moving out of his range of vision. If so, it was possible that it would lead into the main chamber and then-  
Suddenly, Starfire grabbed him and pinned him against the wall. Robin barely had a chance to register what had happened when an enormous razor swung down from the ceiling, into exactly where they had been two seconds ago. Robin and Starfire exchanged glances. Brother Blood certainly hadn’t set out to encourage unwanted visitors into the HIVE academy’s secret training area!  
Still catching his breath back, Robin checked the time on his communicator. They only had eight minutes now. Knowing Brother Blood (and supervillains in general!) there were bound to be several more death traps in the base. How were they going to get past them in time?   
There was no time to sit and contemplate though – they had to get moving. Robin started swimming again past the razor, trying not to look at it, Starfire in close pursuit. Before long he caught sight of a circular airlock above their heads. He and Starfire turned the wheel-shaped handle, which cranked open without too much effort, and swam into another chamber. They locked the hatch beneath them, before the water slowly drained out of the room. As soon as their feet were back on the ground, Robin and Starfire’s flippers transformed into windsurfing shoes.  
In front of them was a large white door, with a handle identical to the one on the circular airlock. Robin spat out the rebreather. “We’re down to seven minutes!” he said as he turned the handle, cranking open the door. He was about to rush straight through it when Starfire took hold of his arm.  
“We must take caution, Robin,” she warned, “There could be more of the security devices waiting for us in the next room.”   
She and Robin scanned the awaiting chamber. Before them was a grey room containing no apparent threats, or really much of anything, aside from a few chairs and boxes that hadn’t been touched since the HIVE students last used the base.  
The Titans ventured forth into the room, treading carefully. They weren’t aware that there was one place they hadn’t checked for any security devices – above the door. Robin and Starfire were completely oblivious to the fact they were being honed in upon by a camera.  
In another part of the base, Mad Mod gave a menacing smile as he watched the teenagers enter the room on a large television screen. “So, you’ve found my little ‘ideout, eh duckies? We can’t be ‘aving that. It looks like I’m going to ‘ave to introduce you to me death traps…” He tapped a few buttons on a keyboard in front of him.   
As Robin and Starfire searched the hall for a way out, they became aware of a faint ticking sound coming from above their heads.   
“What’s making that noise?” asked Robin, looking upward.  
Extending from the ceiling was a circular platform connected to a silver pole, upon which was balanced a black ball with a piece of string inserted into it – a piece of string that was set alight and looked as though it was about to blow any minute.  
“GET BACK!” shrieked Robin.  
“How are we going to ‘get back’ if there’s nowhere to go?” asked Starfire. The hall seemed to have no exit besides the one they came through and even if they were able to escape through there and survived the blast, how would they be able to find Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy in time? They were now down to five minutes!  
“Then we’ll make somewhere to go.” Robin took a small device from his belt and directed it at the nearest wall. It turned out to be a laser, which he used to steadily slice a circle through the metal. Starfire glanced at the bomb. The string was getting smaller by the moment!  
Robin finished cutting the ring and gave it a mighty kick. The circle fell to the ground and the intrepid spies jumped through the hole, landing straight in a seawater pool, their shoes turning into flippers once more. Robin didn’t have a chance to insert his rebreather before the bomb exploded.   
Robin and Starfire could feel the water heating up as the flames raced over their heads. Once the heat had died down, they warily peeked out of the pool and were surprised to see that they were in a cave, not unlike the one they had been in with Aqualad during their undersea mission some time ago. It wasn’t the same one, however, due to the fact it wasn’t far out to sea and also because behind them was a metal wall (now with a large hole in the middle, thanks to Robin’s laser!)  
“They must have built this base inside a cave beneath Jump City,” observed Robin. From where he and Starfire were, they couldn’t see any dry land aside from small ledges on the sides. As they made their way through the water, they occasionally saw diving equipment abandoned on the edges.   
They could envision the HIVE students chilling on the rocks, chatting about their daily lives. They must have dumped their flippers and masks, thinking they’d use them again in the next lesson…a lesson which never came, thanks to Cyborg’s infiltration of the academy. Robin spotted a purple oxygen tank and he couldn’t but wonder if it once belonged to Jinx. What was that incident Gizmo had mentioned earlier? Had it been to do with Cyborg? It was probable that his friend had taken lessons in this very base, but he had never made any mention of it before. Come to think of it, there were plenty of things he’d never told them about the academy…  
Robin forsook his train of thought as he spotted the edge of the lake up ahead, leading onto a rock-face. Extending from the rocky shore was a dark tunnel, stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Robin drew out his communicator as they clambered onto dry land, once again wearing windsurfing slippers. “We now have less than three minutes to find Cyborg and the others!”  
“There must be another pool in this cave of training,” said Starfire as they jogged into the tunnel.  
Robin whipped out his torch. “But where is it? We have no idea how far this cave goes on. It could take ages to find…” He looked at his communicator again. “Hold on a minute! My com’s saying Cyborg and the others are nearby. The pool must be not far ahead.”  
The pair hurried on, until they noticed a door on one of the cavern walls. Unlike the one they had entered the facility through, this one wasn’t an airlock. Rather, it was a metal entrance similar to the ones in Titans Tower.   
Upon approaching it, the door opened automatically, revealing a grey corridor. Robin and Starfire dashed inside, on the lookout for wherever the pool could be concealed. There were several brown doors on either side of the corridor, but the duo ran past them, as Robin now had a clear signal on Cyborg’s location.  
“Are you sure they are behind here, Robin?” asked Starfire, when they reached the door at the very end of the hall.  
“Positive.” Robin’s device was alerting him that they were just a couple of metres away from Cyborg. “Once we’re in, we need to act quickly.” He handed her the laser. “Use this to cut the rope. I’ll deal with the sharks. On the count of three, one…two…THREE!”  
The Titans burst inside…and were then very surprised. Instead of seeing a shark tank in front of them, the room was completely empty. The walls were white and almost glowing. Even the back of the door was painted white and seemed to have almost melted into the background.   
“What? My com said Cyborg would be-” Robin broke off as a large screen materialised on one of the walls, upon which appeared Mad Mod, who was sat on a black leather seat, wearing a light brown suit and stroking a white fluffy cat. “We’ve been tricked!”  
“Soooo…my duckies. Did you really think you could outwit ol’ Mad Mod? That I’d really let you rescue your friends and then try to stop me restorin’ the British Empire to its former glory? Don’t pretend you weren’t planning on doing that, lad – I know what you sorts are like! Now that I’ve got you trapped in ‘ere, I won’t ‘ave to worry about you foilin’ me plans ever again, as I’m goin’ to crush you proper.”  
The walls starting slowly moving inwards, as though the room was a giant waste compactor, unsurprisingly similar to the room Aqualad and Beast Boy became trapped in when they were trying to destroy the underwater HIVE academy. Robin and Starfire’s hearts sank. They’d walked into a death trap as deadly as the one Mod had created for Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy!  
“It’s a shame you won’t live to see me new British Empire, but I s’pose there are some sacrifices a self-respectin’ supervillain ‘as to make…”  
“What makes you so sure your plan’s going to work this time, Mod?” taunted Robin, “The reason we found out about your sick scheme was because all your transmissions failed you before. The Jump City police know all about your evil game – if you mess up again, they could find this place in no time.”  
“What makes me so sure, eh? Well, I’ve got news for you, lad – I learned from me mistakes last time. Earlier today, I tried to send multiple signals to countries formerly in the British Empire but now I’ve thought of an idea that’s truly fool proof. What if I sent one big ‘ypnotism signal across the globe and turned this ‘ole planet into King Moddie’s British Empire? From Jump City, with love!”  
“You’re corrupt, Mod.”  
“Ungrateful brat! Don’t you appreciate everything I’ve done for you today? Givin’ you all that fancy gear and posh clothes? I’m going to be glad when you sprogs are finished with.”  
Upon a corner of the screen appeared live footage from the room in which Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy were still hanging over the pool of sharks, which looked hungrier than ever after waiting two hours for their meal. The rope started slowly lowering them further downward, towards the awaiting fiends.  
In another corner they could see a video of the massive satellite dish in the middle of Jump City, which before long would transit the dreaded signal – “from Jump City with love” - to TV stations across the globe.  
“In one minute, this ‘ole world will be under my control, and if I remember correctly, you’ve only got that one minute left to live.” A countdown became superimposed across the picture. 60 seconds…59 seconds…58…57…  
The cat purred menacingly. By now, the walls were starting to close in on Starfire and Robin. The Tamaranian girl put all her strength into holding them back with her arms and legs, but even with her enhanced abilities it was a challenge. Robin pushed too, as the menacing Brit laughed in the background, the image of his face close to squashing them.  
“There’s no escape, loveys! Soon you two will be goners.”  
Starfire screeched with effort. “It’s no use! We will soon be turned into the cakes of the pan.”  
“Don’t think you’ve won yet, Mad Mod!” said Robin defiantly. “You’ve had your fun placing Star and I on a secret agent mission, but you don’t know I’ve got a secret agent of my own…” With that, he pulled out his communicator. “Calling Control Freak!”


	5. Deep Water

Chapter Five:  
Deep Water  
“Control Freak? Come in!”  
The unshaven geek stirred from beneath his Galaxy Wars duvet.  
“Not now, Mom…” he muttered, turning over. The dark sky Mod had conjured had fooled him into thinking it was bedtime!  
“This is Robin from the Teen Titans. We urgently require your assistance.”  
“Hey!” Control Freak sat straight up. “Is this for real or is this just a crazy dream?”  
He clambered out of bed, trying not to trip over the accumulation of rubbish and laundry upon his floor as he trod to his computer, clad in his one-piece sleepsuit. Sure enough, a broadcast from Robin had appeared on the monitor and it looked as though he was in a very…tight position. He was pushing against a white wall and from Starfire’s position in the background; he could tell it seemed to be closing in on them.   
“You’ve got to help us!” begged Robin.   
“No can do, pal! At last the Teen Titans will be no more.”  
“Exactly! Somebody else is going to take the glory of killing us away from you. That someone is Mad Mod, and he lured us here by placing us on a secret agent mission straight out of the movies.”  
“No way! That’s so cool! I wish I had thought-” The couch potato broke off. “Are you saying he’s stolen my ideas?!”  
“What do you think?”  
“That does it!” Control Freak picked up his signature remote and aimed it at the screen. “I’m not going to let anyone be a greater enemy of the Teen Titans than moi!”  
Mad Mod had struggled to work out what the heck Robin was doing for the last thirty seconds, but now he began to realise exactly what was going on.  
“STOP!” he pleaded, throwing his hands up.   
The cat sprang out of his arms just in time, letting out a loud, “MEOW!”  
The walls about to crush Robin and Starfire abruptly came to a standstill, letting the pair breathe a sigh of relief, despite the fact they were still rather awkwardly positioned.  
Mad Mod’s hands sprang to his control panel and started frantically typing away. “What? This can’t be ‘appening! I ‘ad it all planned…”  
“In your face, old man!” responded his new enemy (though how he knew Mod was really an old man is another story, and one that that shouldn’t be too surprising, considering what a geek he is).  
“Way to go, Control Freak,” said Robin with a grin. While Mad Mod was busy trying to regain control of his systems, he had a feeling that laser in his tool belt might come in handy once again…  
…  
Meanwhile, Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy’s feet were nearly touching the water, or at least would be if they weren’t thrashing with all their might to avoid being bitten by the sharks. One of them tried to sink its teeth into Cyborg’s foot, but only got a mouthful of metal.  
“Hey! That tickles!” said Cyborg with a laugh.  
“We can’t last much longer!” panicked Beast Boy, his eyes on the sharks desperately trying to take a bite out of his frantically writhing legs, which had a few gashes from lucky escapes, “Any moment now one of those sharks is going to get us and then it’ll be ‘goodbye Beast Boy!’ and I won’t get to finish the next level of ‘Super Ninja Fury’ or say goodbye to Robin and Star or defeat Mad Mod or anything! No way am I ready for the next life…”  
But at least I’ll have my best buddy Cyborg with me, he thought, And Raven – she will make a beautiful angel. And my...  
He saw in his mind two figures against a white background. Two figures not in majestic robes, but scruffy t-shirts and khaki shorts, calling out to him, “Come with us, Gar. You will be safe here…”  
Tears started to form in the corners of his eyelids.  
“Calm down, Beast Boy,” responded Raven. She closed her eyes and concentrated. “Azarath Metrion Zinthos…”  
How’s that going to work?! thought Beast Boy, She’s been trying to use her powers for the last two hours!  
He wasn’t able to question her behaviour for very long, however, as he began to feel himself rise upwards, away from the rather angry pool of sharks, away from the cool water that had been splashed onto his bleeding legs, away from the next life, away from his parents…  
“I can’t believe it!” exclaimed Cyborg, “We’re saved!”  
Surrounding them was a black bubble, clearly the result of Raven’s magic.   
“How are you doing it?” probed Beast Boy.  
“Beast Boy, could you turn into a sawfish?” wheezed Raven, struggling to hold the three of them in her protective bubble.  
“But I can’t use my-” Beast Boy broke off. Somehow, Raven had been able to use her magic to move them away from the sharks. Surely it couldn’t hurt to see if his powers were back to normal?  
He thought about turning himself into a sawfish and sure enough, he felt his body transform into that of a shark with a long flat snout, barbed along the edges. He slashed through the ropes in an instant, turning back into his regular form as Raven directed them to safety.   
The bubble popped as they landed back on the floor, beside the tank of increasingly frustrated sharks, one of which tried to jump over the side to take a bite out of Beast Boy, but failed miserably. Beast Boy laughed and pulled a silly face, sticking his tongue out and waggling his fingers. The shark mimicked his expression mockingly.  
Cyborg turned his arm into a cannon. “Let’s blast our way out of here and go kick Mad Mod’s butt!”  
“Oh yeah!” Beast Boy punched the air, before suddenly realising his legs really, really hurt. “OWWWW!” He bent over, catching sight of his bloodied legs.  
Until then he hadn’t noticed just how many close shaves he’d had, and they were much deeper than any such accident he’d had with his razor while shaving his face in the bathroom (not that there was very much fuzz for him to have to shave off...) Raven’s legs were also covered in wounds and were probably very painful, but as always, she showed no emotion.  
Cyborg lowered his cannon. “Uh, sorry about your legs, guys…”  
Raven bent down towards Beast Boy, who was struggling not to cry. She placed a hand on his right leg and began chanting, “Azarath Metrion Zinthos…” The gashes started to turn into scabs, some fading altogether. His ripped trouser fabric even fused back together. She moved onto his other leg and repeated the process.  
“Whoa,” said Beast Boy in awe, “That is amazing!” He then noticed Raven’s own legs, which were still badly lacerated. “Can’t you do that to yourself?”  
“I will need to concentrate,” replied Raven.  
She rose up into the air, sitting cross-legged. “Azarath Metrion Zinthos…” she intoned.  
Beast Boy and Cyborg were just about to see if they could find their way out of the room, when without warning, a section of the wall on their right started fizzing. Orange sparks flew off the white surface, gradually forming a loop, until the ring was big enough for a person to climb through. The circle of wall toppled over, landing beside the tank of equally bewildered sharks, and a figure stepped through the newly cut hole.  
“Are you guys OK?” asked Robin.   
“Sure thing!” responded Beast Boy, “I had a few cuts on my legs but then Rae did some witch-y wizard-y spell thingy and now they’re-” It was then he noticed something rather odd about Robin’s appearance, “Dude…what are you wearing?”  
Robin looked down at his wetsuit. “That’s a long story…” He eyed the tank of sharks. “Mad Mod sure doesn’t like to play it down when it comes to his evil schemes.” No sooner had he said this, did the shark tank vanish before his very eyes. Not only that, but his diving outfit disappeared at exactly the same time, turning into his regular costume. “What the-?” Where the tank had been, there was now a large empty space!  
“The Control Freak must have overridden the Mod’s systems!” exclaimed Starfire, who was now climbing through the hole, wearing her usual outfit.  
“…er, what did you just say?” asked Beast Boy, taken aback.  
“I only just went and kicked Mad Mod’s butt!” said a familiar voice from Robin’s communicator, “You should have seen his face when I scrambled his systems!”  
“Oh man, is this for real?” said Beast Boy.  
“You’re working with Control Freak!?” cried Cyborg, “Do ya mind explaining what’s goin’ on to us guys?”  
“I’ll start from the beginning, but we haven’t got much time…”  
…  
After giving up on all attempts to get his systems working again, Mad Mod bolted out the door of his control centre, or at least as fast as his aged legs would let him now he was no longer able to hide behind a holographic façade. He found himself in the grey hallway, doors on either side. Through one of them was his ticket to freedom, but now the Titans were free, he knew it would be nearly impossible to find where he’d parked his scooter without running into one or more of those bratty, good-for-nothing teenage nuisances…  
He began to feel as though he was surrounded on all sides. He edged backwards, illogically fearing that the Titans could be hiding behind any – if not all – of the doors. The lyrics from a song by a famous Newcastle band came to mind.  
I’ve got to get out of this place! he thought. He turned and made a dash for the end of the corridor, not caring whether or not he could get to his prized Vespa, before running headfirst into a solid figure standing in his path.  
“And just where’d ya think you’re going?” asked Cyborg, his arms folded. Mod tried to run away, but Robin was coming towards him from the opposite direction, wielding a birdarang, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy not far behind him.   
“You may think you know your spy movies, Mod, but there’s one thing you’ve forgotten. The good guy always takes down the villain at the end!”  
“Is there going to be a fight scene now?” said Control Freak, still connected to the com, “Oh man! This day just keeps getting better and better!”  
“Steady on, lad!” Mod looked innocent. “You wouldn’t ‘urt an old man, would you?”  
Robin slipped away his birdarang. “You’re right, Mod. I’m not going to attack you. Cyborg, will you do the honours?”  
“I sure will, Robbie!” Cyborg held his left arm to his face. “This is Cyborg calling the Jump City Police department. We’ve apprehended Mad Mod and are ready to turn him into your custody.”  
Robin folded his arms and gave Mod a stern but sly look.  
“All right, loveys, I surrender!” Mad Mod raised his arms, “It’s not as if I’ve got much to lose, ‘ave I? You’ve caused me ‘opes of restoring the glorious British Empire to crumble to the ground. King Moddie ‘as to admit when ‘e’s been dethroned, eh?”  
“What?” came a voice from Robin’s com, “You mean you’re just going to turn him over to the police – without a fight? At least pin him against a wall and put handcuffs on him like they do in old cop shows! That would be so awesome!” Robin surreptitiously pressed the red button, cutting Control Freak off before he could say anything else.  
…  
Not long later, the Titans were watching Mad Mod being escorted to a police van by a burly cop, on one of Jump City’s many alleyways, now bathed once more in the light of the afternoon. It had turned out that the secret hideout was accessible through a man-hole hidden behind some refuse sacks in the alley, which Mod had parked his scooter nearby. The police had sectioned off the area and were going to launch an investigation upon what was in the training centre, though from what Starfire and Robin had seen of the place, it was doubtful they’d find much besides Mod’s holographic equipment, Brother Blood’s death traps (which Robin had made certain to warn them of!) and Jinx’s scuba gear.  
“Good job, Cyborg,” said Robin.  
“Thanks Robbie, but I’m not the one who risked his life coming after his friends and managed to stop Mad Mod from achieving world domination. I know we weren’t exactly on the best of terms earlier, but I have real respect for you, man – as our leader and as my friend. I’m sorry I let my pride get in the way.”  
“Apology accepted. I guess I overreacted anyway. Knowing Control Freak, we’re bound to have a run in with him again soon. We’ll bring him to justice when the time comes.”  
“Will you commence the shaking of the hands?” suggested Starfire.  
Robin inserted his gloved hand into Cyborg’s robotic one and gave it a firm shake.  
“Apology accepted, Robbie,” said Cyborg.  
“Oh! It is most glorious that you are friends again!” cried Starfire, abruptly embracing the pair of them in a tight cuddle that knocked the wind out of poor Robin.  
“Uh, sure thing, Star!” replied Cyborg, who was also struggling to breathe.  
Starfire let go of her two wheezing victims and said to everyone, “Come, friends Raven and Beast Boy and share this embrace of love!”  
“No thank you,” said Raven.  
“I’m good!” Beast Boy excused himself.   
Robin and Cyborg turned to look at the police team who were venturing into the abandoned base behind the rubbish sacks.   
“They’re going to be inside there a long while…” remarked Robin, “That place was massive. I don’t think we even saw half of what was down there!”  
“Oh, I’ve seen most of it,” said Cyborg, “Brother Blood would take us there for training while I was infiltrating the HIVE academy.”  
The other Titans turned to look at him. Cyborg hadn’t mentioned this once before during the last two and a half hours!  
This statement jogged Robin’s memory and he realised there was something he’d been meaning to ask Cyborg for a while now. “Back in the arcade, after we made that deal with the HIVE team, Gizmo mentioned something about a bad experience that happened to Jinx during a training session and I think you were involved in it…or at least I think he was talking about you.” Robin decided not to tell Cyborg that Gizmo had referred to him as Jinx’s “boyfriend”. Though he was aware it was only childish name-calling, he couldn’t help but wonder just how close the pair had grown during their time in the academy.   
“Oh yeah…I remember,” mused Cyborg.  
The half-android’s mind turned back to a scene that had occurred not all that long ago, when he was undercover in the HIVE academy under the alias of Stone. Brother Blood would make the students undergo vigorous exercises in the training pool, with and without scuba equipment. He would time them as they did the various activities, finding out how long they could hold their breath and how resilient they were to the temperature of the water.  
Jinx’s magical abilities meant she could remain submerged for quite a while and she was very elegant under the water, making her the top student in the class. Brother Blood was very impressed with her skills and would often shame the other students by comparing their swimming abilities to hers (usually Randy Rock, who sank like a stone, and Penny Paper, who always ended up unduly soggy).   
One day, however, things had not gone so well for her. They had been tasked with finding and retrieving bricks from the bottom of the pool in teams, without scuba gear or even torches. (“And remember, I will not have any cheating from you, young man,” Brother Blood had sternly told Gizmo, knowing all too well the type of tricks the boy was prone to engaging in.)   
Jinx was usually pretty confident, but trying to locate bricks hidden in a deep, darkened pool was especially challenging, even for someone who could hold their breath for a considerable amount of time. “You cannot always depend on diving equipment,” Brother Blood had explained, when some of the other students protested, mostly due to the fact he would be wearing scuba gear himself whilst supervising them, “Someday when you are out in the field, you will find there are many times when you do not have technology readily available. The Teen Titans are able to function on their wits and strength alone. Do you really want them to have an advantage over us…?”  
The pupils promptly jumped into the water without complaint, soon followed by Brother Blood (who was at least merciful enough this time to allow them to do this activity in their wetsuits, rather than pyjamas, like in some previous sessions they’d rather forget about). He swam to the middle of the pool so he could keep an eye on everyone and as soon as he’d set his stopwatch, the first team disappeared beneath the surface. Billy Numerous was in the group, but even with the assistance of his duplicates, the team struggled to gather enough bricks before the five minute mark Blood had set.  
The various groups proceeded to try their luck at the task, all just about managing to accomplish their goal. Cyborg was placed into the last team with Jinx, Kyd Wykkyd and Sam Scissors. The water was bitterly cold as ever and seemed almost bottomless, especially when they were not aided by the lights they would normally switch on in their full-face masks. It was nearly impossible to even locate the bricks before they had to go up for air. Kyd Wykkyd was able to teleport himself to the bottom of the pool (once they’d discovered it actually existed) but the team was counting on Jinx to get them to pass the test.   
The young witch dived through the depths, her slim figure encased in an indigo wetsuit, kicking forcefully with her purple flippers. Brother Blood was watching nearby, the charming smile he always seemed to have upon his face illuminated by his clear mask. Blood was wearing a black wetsuit, grey gloves and burgundy diving waistcoat, akin to the outfit he wore whilst fighting. With that being said, the way he moved underwater was similar to the way he fought – effortless, graceful and formidable. There was never a moment when Cyborg did not feel threatened by his presence, but he continually refused to let his fear cause him to blow his cover.  
“Good work, my child,” said Blood, as Jinx finally managed to heave a brick off the pool’s floor and pass it upwards to Scissors, who skewered it before taking it up to Stone and Kyd Wykkyd.  
Soon it was Cyborg’s turn to assist her. Though the young spy appeared to be wearing a dark grey wetsuit, little did the others know it was only an illusion, just as much as the human disguise created by a pair of hologram-casting rings. Thankfully, they were as waterproof as his cybernetic parts and he had no worries when it came to the possibility of them springing a leak.   
Cyborg – or rather, Stone – plunged to where Jinx was positioned. Kyd Wykkyd had managed to catch his breath back after his last dive and had teleported himself beside her, hunting speedily for any bricks. He uncovered one before his lungful ran out and proceeded to teleport himself to the side of the pool. Jinx was also starting to realise she needed to go up for air herself and quickly grabbed the nearest brick, tossing it to Cyborg and heading for the surface.  
Unfortunately, her hastiness meant the brick landed rather awkwardly in Cyborg’s hands, letting off a subtle “crunch”. For a moment, he thought nothing of it, but then all of a sudden alarm bells went off inside his head. My hologram rings! he thought. Dropping the brick, he inspected his hands frantically, terrified any second his disguise might disappear, giving the game away to his fellow students and a closely watching Brother Blood. Jinx noticed the brick had fallen from his hands and swiftly changed her course. It was the final brick they needed to complete the activity before their time ran out.  
At first she dived in the direction of the brick, but in the corner of her eye she could see her friend Stone examining his hands, apparently quite concerned about something. Had he hurt himself? She abandoned what she was doing and swam over to see if he was all right.   
Though she was unable to speak, she placed a hand on his arm, signalling for him to look up. Thankfully, Cyborg had thoroughly checked his rings just in time and it appeared only the back of one of them had been damaged – nothing he couldn’t fix once back in his quarters. His cover wasn’t going to be blown any time soon! Jinx pointed to his hands, concern in her eyes. Cyborg shook his head.  
Unable to stay under the water a moment longer, they promptly swam to the surface together, relieving their bursting lungs with gulps of fresh air, just as their five minutes ran out. Their team-mates looked at them disconcertedly as they clambered onto the rock-face, the final brick nowhere in sight. Kyd Wykkyd had now slipped a towel around his shoulders, which looked suspiciously similar to the cloak of his usual uniform. The other teams were also gathered on the poolside, every bit as surprised.  
“What the crud happened?!” squawked Gizmo.  
“I couldn’t get the brick in time,” responded Jinx forlornly, her waterlogged hair drooping.   
She looked downheartedly at the pile of gatherings in front of them, just one brick short. This was the first time she’d ever missed a mark for this particular class!   
“I’m real sorry, Jinx,” said Stone comfortingly, placing a hand on her shoulder.  
He wasn’t able to say anything else, however, as Brother Blood had now stepped onto dry land, his sleek neoprene boots contrasting with the pupils’ cumbersome flippers. He removed his mask and shook free his grey hair, allowing it to bounce back into style. “I am impressed with your effort,” he said, examining all the students’ handiwork.  
He then drew his attention to the one team who had failed to collect enough bricks. Jinx was unable to look him in the face as he paced closer to their assembly, his eyes fixed upon the pile of bricks. He tutted disapprovingly. “One brick short? This is most unlike you, Jinx.”  
He drew his face nearer to that of the young witch girl’s. “I am aware the reason for your shortcoming was a distraction during this assignment. I observed you assisting your team-mate Stone, instead of retrieving the brick that he had foolishly let go of. Your deed was admirable; sacrificing your mark for the sake of your associate.” Jinx felt brave enough to open her eyes. Brother Blood gave a handsome smile and she began to relax, when suddenly the head teacher’s eyes began to glow red. “I will not have any such sentimental acts practiced in my academy.”  
Jinx shrieked as she was hit by a bolt of red energy, knocking her onto the floor. Brother Blood retained his smile as his eyebrows arched cruelly, before his expression turned to anger.  
“I gave you an assignment! It was not your duty to decide whether or not to complete it. Someday when you are out in the field, you will see that emotional attachments are nothing but a hindrance to your efficiency. You must prioritise your missions at any costs. Is that clear?”  
Jinx nodded quickly.  
Brother Blood turned away from her. “Let this be a lesson to you all…” he said, as he swept into the nearby tunnel.  
The other students felt obliged to follow him, but several of them glanced back at Jinx, who had covered her face with both hands and begun to cry. Cyborg noticed a glimmer of sympathy on Gizmo and Mammoth’s faces, but it vanished the instant they realised he was looking at them.   
He placed an arm around the sobbing Jinx’s shoulders as their classmates slowly exited the area, eventually leaving them all alone.  
“Brother Blood was real hard on Jinx after she failed a lesson in the training base,” explained Cyborg to his friends in the present, “And all because I thought I broke one of my hologram rings during the training exercise.” He looked ashamed.  
“Dude, that wasn’t your fault!” reassured Beast Boy, “If one of your rings really had gone bust, you would have given us away.”  
“Exactly. Bein’ in the HIVE academy was real tough. I had to pretend to be on the bad guys’ side 24/7, yet all along I knew I was really loyal to you guys.”  
“Is that why you haven’t told us much about your experiences?” asked Robin.  
“That’s part of it.”  
“I respect your privacy, Cy. I’m sorry about what I said to you earlier. I know you wouldn’t really betray us.”  
Cyborg smiled. “You’re the best team I could ever wish for, but if you don’t mind me sayin’, after sortin’ out Mad Mod, I think we deserve a reward.”  
“Let us go to the arcade of amusements!” chirped Starfire, hovering in the air excitedly.  
“What, again?” said Robin.  
“Cool!” Beast Boy punched the air.  
“Sounds good to me,” said Raven.  
“The arcade it is, then,” concluded Robin.  
“You don’t suppose we shall meet the Gizmo, Jinx and Mammoth again, friend Robin?” asked Starfire.  
“No chance. It’s going to be a long time before Gizmo’s ego recovers from our duel earlier…”  
“You totally kicked that brat’s butt, Rob!” praised Cyborg.  
“It is a shame the bar of the arcade was only an illusion created by the Mad Mod’s technology,” said Starfire, “I would have liked you all to try the delicious Earth beverage served there known as the Temple of the Shirley!”  
Robin went green at the memory.  
“A Shirley Temple?” Beast Boy looked confused. “But we’re too young to drink!”  
Cyborg, Raven and Robin looked at him.  
“Shirley Temples are non-alcoholic, Beast Boy,” explained Raven.  
Beast Boy sweated sheepishly. “I knew that!”  
There was a brief awkward silence.  
“Anyone for a game of Jump Shot?” asked Cyborg.  
“You’re on!” responded Robin, giving him a fist-bump.  
They began heading towards the Jump City pier, Robin, Cyborg and Starfire at the front of the procession. Beast Boy and Raven were further behind.  
“So…do you wanna play any games at the arcade?” asked Beast Boy.  
“I’ll think about it.”  
There was another silence.  
“Oh, and er…Raven?” Beast Boy turned to Raven. “Thank you for healing my legs earlier.”  
“You’re welcome, Beast Boy.” Raven didn’t look back, but that didn’t concern him.   
He noticed her bare legs had no traces of scars on them. Her healing magic had done its work while Robin was telling them about the exciting “spy mission” Mad Mod had placed him and Starfire on, tuxedo and all. He imagined Raven wearing a long blue prom dress and a gold necklace, he himself wearing a smart tux.  
He pictured them being at some fancy event. “Would you care for this dance, m’lady?” he would ask her, bowing in a gentlemanly fashion.  
“Why certainly, Beast Boy,” Raven would respond and together they’d waltz the night away (not the sort of dance Beast Boy was accustomed to doing, but hip-hop was hardly appropriate for such a formal occasion).  
He could also visualise Starfire dancing with Robin, clad in their formal attire from earlier and for some reason, he could see Cyborg was dancing with a friend of his own too – a friend who happened to have pale skin, unusually-shaped magenta hair and a deep purple formal dress…  
THE END


End file.
